How to Not Judge a Book by Its Cover
by Kookiebites13
Summary: Valhallarama told him once that 'if you don't know something, then don't judge it'. Hiccup had hold this wisdom since then and he planned to share it to those he cares about. Sometimes they listen, sometimes they don't.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I found this one on my laptop today (I don't even remember that I wrote this before I found it), and I think I should post it. This one is just a short story of Hiccup and Valhallarama, cause I love family stories. =D**

**Sorry if there're some grammar mistakes, English is not my first language.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own HTTYD, all credits goes to Cressida Cowell and Dreamworks**

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"Ew ... Mom, what is that?" Hiccup asked, a bit disgusted of what his mother is showing him on the plate. Hiccup always loves fish, but he doesn't know what the heck is on that plate now. Even he feels like he's about to throw up by just looking at it.

Valhallarama smiled warmly, "It is a roasted eel. Here, try it,"

"NO! It's disgusting!"

"Come on, Hiccup ... Just try it first, then you can decide if you like it or not,"

"I don't wanna eat it, Mommy," Hiccup whined over and over again, making Valhallarama desperate. It's snowing outside and the air is pretty cold. If her son doesn't eat tonight then he will caught flu in the morning.

Valhallarama kept trying to persuade him, when her husband came home with a sack full of fish. Her eyes lit with joy as if the gods just sent her someone to help. She looks at Stoick pleadingly, and when Stoick doesn't understand anything his gaze drops to the plate of eel and his pouting son. So, Stoick came up with his lamest idea of excuse. "Well, Gobber needs me, I'll be back later!" he said as he slammed close the door. Vallhalarama rolled her eyes with a heavy sigh; she's even more desperate than when she tried to give Hiccup a bath when he was way younger. "You both are just the same. Neither of you are helping!"

Hiccup chuckled silently. Oh yes, he won't forget his father's eyes when he tried to escape earlier.

"Just tell me why you don't want to eat it, dear," Valhallarama said softly, rather tired, actually.

"It's disgusting! I bet a dragon won't eat it too!" the gods would laugh when Hiccup finally found out that he was right about the dragon, but Valhallarama? Probably not so much.

Then, she came up with a plan. "How do you know that it's disgusting?"

"Because it looks ... disgusting?" Hiccup is a bit doubtful of his answer, because his mother looks at him with that glare that simply says 'I'm going to teach you something'. _Oh great, _Hiccup thought to himself.

"Well have you tried it? Did Gobber ever force you to eat one before?" Hiccup shook his head. "So you never tried it but you already judge it?"

Hiccup didn't respond, he was trying to keep himself pouting, but somehow the walls he build between him, his mom, and the roasted eel on the plate starts to crumble.

"It's not fair for you – and the eel," she said, as a matter of fact. Finally she throws the biggest weapon she has to make his wall crumbles, "If you don't know something, don't judge it!" she said, rather happily. _That's it ... _she thought as Hiccup raises his eyebrows, as if he thinks that there's some truth in her words. Finally, Hiccup sighs heavily and opens his mouth wide, signaling that he's ready to have his supper.

Valhallarama's heart is beaming with joy – mostly because she can finally have some sleep after this – the other time she felt like that was when she held Hiccup for the first time. That dinner is totally one of the things she's going to remember the most about her son. Because Hiccup had accepted her teachings, and she's very sure that he will pass it to everyone he cares about. She had her turn, and now it was Hiccup's turn.

Hiccup was actually blaming himself for giving up. Well, at least his mom is happy.

Although he did throw up in the end.

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**A/N: Well how was it? Tell me what you think. There're three more chapters, should I post them?**

**-kookie**


	2. Chapter 2

Hiccup is terrified. He knows what his dad is thinking, and for once in his life he wished he was wrong. Stoick though, doesn't indicate that he's thinking something different.

"Dad, it's not what you think. You don't know what you're up against! It's like nothing you've ever seen," Hiccup grabs Stoick by the arm, tugging him with all the strength he has. There's no effect. But Hiccup knew if his father is really going to do this crazy plan in his head, he won't win. Hiccup isn't going to let his father die, not if he can't stop it. So for once, he forgets about his scrawny self and tries to make Stoick stay, not even caring how strong Stoick is compared to him.

"Dad, please. I promise you that you can't win this one," Stoick is still not giving any respond. He was determined, and it seems like Hiccup is losing. **"**No. Dad. No. For once in your life, WOULD YOU PLEASE JUST LISTEN TO ME?!" Hiccup's plan is to at least get a respond from his dad, and his plan work. Harshly.

Stoick throws Hiccup off of him to the floor. Hiccup was surprised, so he stays still as he stares stunningly at Stoick. Hiccup can't read his mind right now, he was too terrified to do so.

"You've thrown your lot in with them," he said. "You're not a Viking," Hiccup agrees. He never was. But what Stoick says next devastated him.** "**You're not my son," it was simple and clear, but enough to break a heart or two.

Stoick was about to push the door open, when Hiccup gave his last shot of trying to stop him. Something his mother had taught, and hopefully, something that Stoick can accept. "So you think you can destroy the nest?"

"Enough of this, Hiccup,"

"So you've been there before?"

"HICCUP!" Stoick feels offended. How can the boy say that to him? Does he have any shame?

"Have you even been there before?" Hiccup is still terrified, but this is the thing that had given him the bravery to befriend Toothless in the first place. Hiccup knew that his mother was right, he never doubted her, ever. "Ha-have you seen what's there? Do you know what you're facing? Do you know the beast's blind spots? Or are you just going to swing some axes to it until it dies?"

"STOP IT!"

"The thing is, Dad, you don't know what you're about to face. I'm not even sure if you may come back alive!"

How can Hiccup doubt him? He's Stoick the Vast, the chief, the one who popped a dragon's head clean off of its shoulders when he was a baby. Stoick decides to ignore him and pushes the gigantic door open. He's actually breaking inside.

"Mom said to never judge something you don't know about. That's how I befriend Toothless. I mean, what do you know about this beast that makes you so sure that you can defeat it?" And then Hiccup said something that almost made Stoick wants to forget about all of this and just hug him. "And what do you know about me that makes you allow yourself to just disown me like that? It's not like you would spend a day just to get to know me better. What do you know about me, Dad?"

Stoick though, knows one thing.

Hiccup deserves a better father.

_"Please, Dad. I don't want to lose you too."_

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**A/N: Ok, this one is short. I make this one because I think in this scene Hiccup was trying to stop his dad to not only keep Toothless alive but his dad too (of course it was obvious, but the scene mostly shows that Hiccup is trying to save Toothless. I understand that, it was awesome). That's just my opinion.**

**Nonetheless this is one of my favorite scene. And sometimes love can make someone braver.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Well, this one's the last. I have to divide it into two parts cause it's just too long, and I'm sorry if it's not as good as you were hoping.**

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It was spring. Usually by this time of the year, Hiccup would go to the forest or the beach to doodle more inventions he can think of, or simply drawing the scenery he's seeing, or writing down notes of what not to do around the villagers. Almost everyone in the village has their own page in Hiccup's journal. So when he was followed by Snotlout and his gang, Hiccup would never expect to have another 'what not to do around (enter name here) page' in his journal.

Hiccup tried not to notice them following him, but it's kind of hard to do with Fishlegs' clumsiness. He accidentally stepped on some twigs and leaves, loud enough for a normal human to suspect something. Hiccup is already annoyed enough from being followed, so he pretends not to hear Fishlegs' clumsy steps and continued to walk to his favorite spot in the forest. He found the place a few days ago, and find it rather nice and peaceful, because there are plenty of trees, but enough to let a huge amount of warm sunshine in.

When he got there, he found a large rock to sit on and starts doodling.

"BOO!" yelled Snotlout and the twins. Hiccup flinched and dropped his charcoal while letting out a scream along the way. Since they're too busy chuckling at his startled expression earlier, he decided to greet them, rather lazily. "Hi Snotlout, Tuffnut, Ruffnut," then two more kids came in sight, and Hiccup waved with a forced smile. One of them is Fishlegs, who waved back with a more sincere smile, and the other one is a blond girl with icy blue eyes.

"What are you even doing?" Snotlout asked. Tuffnut nodded as if asking the same question. Hiccup knew that their IQ is low. Very low, as a matter of fact. And Hiccup knew that if he doesn't answer, he would end up being punched. So he decided to play safe.

"I'm drawing," Hiccup said simply with a tone that says 'even a sheep knows what I'm doing' or something.

"Drawing what? A sick dragon?" this time, it's Ruffnut who asked him. She looked as confused as her twin and Snotlout.

"Ooh! Wait! Let me guess! Uh ... um ... don't push me! Uh ... what are we doing again?"

Most of them – besides Tuffnut – rolled their eyes.

Fishlegs seems to be interested in what Hiccup is drawing, although he doesn't understand them. _Well, at least he's smart, _thought Hiccup. So the only one left is the blond girl that Hiccup isn't familiar with . She just stares blankly at the drawings in his journal. Hiccup doesn't care of what she thinks of them, but somehow he can't read her mind.

"These are my inventions. I haven't figured out how to make some of these, but they're just too amazing so I have to write it down. I've made a plan for a modified catapults, and ... and ... " Hiccup was about to tell them more about his inventions, but Snotlout cuts him off.

"Boring ... You're even more boring than before!"

"Yeah ... "

"When is he not boring?" asked Tuffnut.

Snotlout answered, "When a dragon kills him off!"

He and the twins laughed so loud that Hiccup is forced to close his ears with his hands. Fishlegs seems like he's trying so hard to laugh too but found himself couldn't, and that blond girl ... she never says anything.

Snotlout and the twins laughed like forever, so Hiccup decided to continue doodling on his journal. But Snotlout suddenly snatches the book from him, and starts to open random pages. "Snotlout, give it back!" Hiccup yelled, showing off his two missing front teeth.

"You want it? Then fetch!" Snotlout threw the book to the branch of a nearby tree, and when Hiccup starts to run after the book, Snotlout trips his cousin into a puddle, soaking him wet from head to toe.

"HEY!" he yelled at the snickering kids – but mostly Snotlout.

"Come on, guys. Let's leave the geek there splashing water like a baby!" and with that, the kids left the forest, probably to grab lunch. When Hiccup got up from the puddle and turns to the branch that his journal landed on when Snotlout threw it, the brown book is no longer there.

"Oh great! Now my book is gone!" he said as he kicked a rock to the puddle, splashing dirty water around it. Then he noticed a figure sitting on the large rock he sat on earlier.


	4. Chapter 4

There, the mysterious blond girl is reading his journal. Hiccup didn't see her take the book from the branches, and that kind of creeps him out. "Uh ... is that my book?"

"Yes. I'm borrowing it. I hope you don't mind," she said. Hiccup actually minds about it, but when he noticed that there's an axe next to her, Hiccup thinks twice and decided to let her read it instead.

"S-s-sure,"

There was silence for a moment, but then, suddenly, she throws the book at him, grabs her axe and stood. "You're weird,"

"What?"

"You're weird. Human can't fly!" she said, referring to one of Hiccup's invention.

_Wait, she was actually reading it? _"Well, I haven't figure out how to make human fly, but I'm sure we can!"

"What about those things on the first pages?"

"Well it's a weapon. It shoots things, like a catapult but it can shoot more than just giant rocks,"

"We have hands; we use it to throw things. Something like that is for gigantic objects,"

"I thought we can use it to reduce some energy, you know?"

"You're still weird. You're Hiccup, the chief's son, right? Are you sure that you're our future chief? Cause you're kind of ... tiny,"

Hiccup is totally annoyed. Did this girl, who he had never met before, and who probably doesn't know much about him, just offend him? Who is she to talk like that? Who is she to ... _Fine, I think it's time for her to have her lesson,_ Hiccup thought.

"What's your name?" Hiccup started.

Phase 1 of Haddock Instant School: Greet your student

"Astrid. Astrid Hofferson,"

"Wait, the Hoffersons have a daughter?" Hiccup didn't realize that he spoke it out loud until Astrid choked him and threatened to slice his neck with her axe. Hiccup is petrified, while Astrid grinned like a devil, then she decided to play along.

She loosened her grip on his neck and says, "Wait, the chief has a son?" Hiccup stuck out his tongue. Astrid seems satisfied, then she lets go of her grip. "What were you going to say?"

Phase 2 of Haddock Instant School: Ask their first opinion

Hiccup clears his throat, and then looks at her axe for a few seconds, making sure it's not going to be stained in blood soon. "Well, Astrid, what do you think of me?"

"Don't you have ears, Hiccup? I told you, you're weird!"

"But," he paused, "Do you know me?"

Astrid is getting confused. "Of course I know you. Didn't I just say your name?"

"Ah, you know my name. But do you know who I am?" he asked. He starts to open random pages on his journal and pretends to read.

Phase 3 of Haddock Instant School: Try your student's patience, and show them who the teacher is

Astrid groaned. She's definitely not the patient type. Not that there are plenty of patient vikings on Berk. "What? Do you suddenly forget about your whole life? You're Hiccup, Chief Stoick's son! Happy?"

Phase 4 of Haddock Instant School: Bait war

Hiccup secretly smiled slyly. She has taken the bait. Now it's only a matter of time. Will she pass the Haddock test, or fail and clarify herself as one of those people who don't care about what he says? "Good. Anything else?"

"You work in the forge as Gobber's apprentice," she said.

"Glad you noticed."

"You're weak," she said as a matter of factly, and smiled in victory. But she didn't know that Hiccup won't stop asking.

Hiccup rolled his eyes. "Thank you for summing that up. Anything else?"

"You like to invent things, obviously," she glanced at the book.

"Anything else?"

She's starting to panic a bit, because she's running out of answers. But she's not going to let him win this one. So, she decided to answer him but change the topic slightly, hoping that he would take her bait. "You made a list of what not to do around every person in the villager. Oddly, there's no page about me,"

"Clearly, I just met you. Anything else?" Changing topic plan? Fails.

_Ugh, what does he wants? Will he ever stop?_

Astrid is too bored to keep playing, so she admits defeat. "I don't know!"

"You don't know?"

"NO!" she swears that if he's not the chief's son he would be dead right now.

"Do you know my personality? My favorite food? Things I hate, things I like? What I think of everyone in the village?"

He keeps asking questions like he can't run out of breath, and Astrid is not patient enough to hear him asking things all day. "SHUT UP! I don't know, okay? How am I supposed to know many things about you? I barely even know you!"

"If you barely know me then why did you judged me?" that shuts her up. _Finally ... _this is Hiccup's favorite part.

Phase 5 of Haddock Instant School: Riddling talk. Teach them, but let them figure it out on their own.

"Are you blaming me for giving my opinion?"

"No, opinions are good. But I think they're only fair if you know about what or who you are judging. It's not fair for me to just get insulted like that. And to add to that, this is the first time we talk!"

"See? You're being weird again!"

_Okay then ... time for some examples._

"Astrid, you are a coward!" _Oh Gods, wrong word!_

The experience of Astrid almost choking him to death taught Hiccup something, and that is he doesn't want to see what she will do if he angered her. So Hiccup closed his eyes tightly and holds his breath. His brain is now imagining things, like what would his dad be like if Astrid kills him now. But he smiled a bit, because the upside is that he can meet his mother again.

"What did you say?" Astrid said. Her voice is a little deeper, and a mix of threat, anger, and menace. Like a cat targeting a mouse for supper.

When Hiccup opened his eyes, the first thing he saw is a pair of beautiful blue eyes. He actually would jump in shock of how close those eyes are, but the next thing he saw made him think twice. He saw her axe pointing directly at his neck. Hiccup gulped and tried to keep his breathing stable. Never ever in his life that Hiccup saw a girl so violent. Hiccup had seen her more than once in the village, and on dragon raids. She always hang out with the twins, Snotlout and Fishlegs, so Hiccup was expecting her to hate him just like the other kids. But this time, this is the test that's going to give him an answer.

_Calm down, Hiccup. Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale. A person pointing an axe at another person's neck is just a regular thing. Oh you'd only end up dead or losing an arm or leg ... no big deal._

"Yo-you're a coward! You won't even hurt a fly!"

"You don't know me, Haddock. I would gladly tell you what I can do to a single fly, even what I can do to you if you make me angry. So, APOLOGIZE NOW!"

There, a perfect plan to escape. "Why should I? You don't know me but you judged me anyway. Why can't I do the same?"

Hiccup would never believe what happened next. She pulls back her axe and walks away, leaving him totally confused but also guilty. What did he say wrong?

Phase 6 of Haddock Instant School: The big test

Hiccup chases her to the deeper part of the forest. But she ran so fast that Hiccup lost track of her. _I knew it.__ I shouldn't have__ picked the word 'coward'. _He sighed and leans back to a nearby tree. He used this method many times, but the usual response he gets is ignorance or a punch. But running away? That's something new. He felt bad for calling her a coward (though it was just as an example), although his feeling says that a violent girl like that won't feel offended by it. But like what Valhallarama said, don't judge something if you don't know it. _What's wrong with me and girls? _Because of the event of a single day, Hiccup promises to stay quiet. This time, when Snotlout makes fun of him, he wouldn't fight or whine again. He's getting tired of it anyway, and in the end Snotlout would grow up too, right? Well although it could take him like forever. This time, he would let people to learn his mother's teachings by figuring it out by themselves. Because somehow it's more effective when you figure it out on your own. So be it, he would be quieter.

"What are you doing here, Hiccup?" a voice suddenly asked him. Hiccup was startled, but relaxed a bit when he saw the blond girl standing next to him.

"Are you angry? Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it. But I had to, because if I didn't give you an example you would never understand," Hiccup admitted guiltily.

Astrid's eyes seem to open a bit wider. Not menacingly, but with the same amount of guilt as Hiccup's confession. "Hiccup, I'm not angry of you." Hiccup's expression changes from guilty to curiosity. Astrid doesn't need him to ask his question to answer it. "I'm actually angry of myself. Because you're right."

"I am?"

She nodded. "I was just getting to know you. Heck everything I know about you are only the obvious things. I know nothing about who you are up there," she paused and pointed to his head, " ... and who you are in there," and then she points at his heart. Her finger accidentally pointed too close, causing her finger and his chest to come in contact. Both starts to blush heavily, and Astrid quickly pulls back her hand. If only it stayed longer on Hiccup's chest, she would feel a very fast heartbeat. "Sorry. About that and everything,"

Phase 7 of Haddock Instant School: Graduation

Hiccup smiles warmly. Never had anyone in his life apologized to him with so much sincerity.

To be honest, Hiccup never got to this phase before. No one ever listened to him until the end, and to Hiccup's surprise, his only student that graduated suddenly hugs him tight, whispering a thank you.

"You're welcome,"

_Astrid Hofferson, congratulations. You just graduated from Haddock Instant School._

Later that night in his room, Hiccup was writing on his journal again. This time, instead of writing about his inventions, he opened a fresh new page and started to write.

'What Not to Do Around Astrid Hofferson by Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III'

'1 – Make her mad

Reason: Or the last thing you'll ever see is her axe swinging right at you.'

'2 – Talk too much

Reason: She's not a patient person, just get to the point.'

'3 – Underestimate her

Reason: Because behind her violent nature, she's a smart and (sometimes) a gentle girl.'

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**-Kookie**


End file.
